Education
Gen Z & Alpha Students Share Their Must-Have Tech for Back-to-School Success
7/15/2024
With back-to-school season just around the corner, Samsung Electronics America decided to get the scoop on essential technology straight from the source: middle, high school, and college students. We asked three students which technologies they simply can’t live without and how it enhances their educational experience.
Among the three students are one Samsung summer intern, Marissa Drange, from Trinity University, and Arthur Lee from Stillwater Middle School, and Kaitlyn Thede from Wilton Jr-Sr High School, both alumni of Samsung’s national Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition, which will be kicking off in August.
As digital natives, these Gen Z and Gen Alpha students revealed their favorite gadgets and shared all the cool ways they use them to stay organized, work with classmates, and ace their studies. And, by showcasing their viewpoints, Samsung shines a light on how important technology has become in modern education.
Marissa Drange
Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas)
- Essential Back-to-School Gear: “The most essential piece of technology for back to school is a laptop like the Galaxy Book4 Edge – with an assist from the M8 Smart Monitor. In this digital world, it is extremely rare that I complete an assignment on paper. Everything is done through our university portal, called Canvas. I even take notes electronically because it is so easy to track and maintain total organization. Being a student-athlete, managing my time is crucial so I access my calendar on my laptop to make sure I stay on top of everything.”
- Harnessing Tech for Academic & Athletic Excellence: “Technology is an essential part of keeping myself organized. I take class notes, keep track of due dates, organize my school and athletic calendar, and complete all my assignments on my laptop. I also love wearing a smartwatch like the Galaxy Watch6 because it allows me to multitask and not miss a beat. It is helpful in my athletic career because of the fitness and health benefits. During workouts, the smartwatch tracks my heart rate,1 calories burned, total steps, and so much more. This is extremely useful to make sure that I am properly fueling and taking care of my body to perform at the collegiate level. Additionally, with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro and their excellent sound quality, I can rock to music during training sessions, enhancing my focus and performance.”
- Technology Transformation in Education: “Growing up, technology was present in my classrooms, however prior to the 2020 pandemic, there wasn’t an overreliance on tech. This completely changed my sophomore year of high school when everything completely shifted to online learning. Ever since then, the classroom environment has changed. In college, technology is an integral part of our learning experience. Us students put a lot of expectations on our technology, and electronics have become an innate part of learning. Technology is a game-changer for mine and future generations!”
Looking to shop Marissa’s must-have back to school tech?
Arthur Lee
Stillwater Middle School (Stillwater, Minnesota)
- Essential Back-to-School Gear: “A computer, such as a Galaxy Book or even a Galaxy Tab, is important for my schoolwork since many things in school are digital now and I rely on a laptop to access those resources.”
- Harnessing Tech for Academic Excellence: “Google Drive, with access to Slides and Docs, allow me to collaborate with my classmates to work on group projects and other tasks. Also, I use my Google calendar to help me organize my school assignments’ due dates and remember important dates (like the first day of school on August 27th!).”
- Future Tech Feature Wishlist: “I think someone should invent a feature to automatically organize documents and files into folders, using a system that scans a file to determine where to place it. This feature would make creating new documents easier, as you wouldn’t have to manually place them into a folder or create a new one.”
Ready to shop Arthur’s favorite tech?
Kaitlyn Thede
Wilton Jr-Sr High School (Wilton, Iowa)
- Essential Back-to-School Gear: “As I think about the upcoming school year, it’s essential to find the right tech and tools to help organize my life and accomplish different tasks. One piece of technology I will rely heavily on is the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra. This device is not only functional but also very user-friendly and easy to navigate. I particularly love the extended keypad and the large mouse pad. Using this device has made completing high school assignments – soon-to-be college work – much easier. I depend on it and its sharp display screen to update websites, video and photo editing, and many other highly visual tasks. What’s also great is that it pairs seamlessly with a Galaxy smartphone, specifically the brand-new Galaxy Z Flip6. So, users can pretty much transfer photos and videos from their phone to laptop in a snap!”
- Harnessing Tech for Academic Excellence: “I tend to spend a lot of time using technology both in and out school. From taking notes to writing papers and doing college assignments, my Galaxy Book has been a lifesaver. It’s helped me create schedules, organize events, and complete and submit my schoolwork. Basically, the laptop keeps me organized so I can stay on top of all of my work.”
Want to shop Kaitlyn’s back to school wishlist?
If you’re gearing up for the busy back-to-school season, make sure your new tech is protected with help from Samsung Care. Have peace of mind knowing that when the unexpected happens, we’re here with the #1 quality and service coverage.3
And now through August 26, teachers, parents and administrators that are part of our Education Offers Program4 can take their new device protection to the next level with 30% off Samsung Care+ for select PCs, tablets, watches and buds.5
Visit Samsung.com for details on the latest offers and click here to get the most out of your new tech this summer.